Jeff McNeil’s two-homer breakout not enough to save Mets in loss to Marlins

MIAMI — Jeff McNeil’s big night was a welcome sign for the Mets on Friday, eliciting hope that for a second straight year a post-All-Star break turnaround is awaiting the veteran utilityman. 

Not as encouraging was Sean Manaea’s pitching performance.

The Mets, in rallying to climb above .500, had largely avoided such clunkers over the last month or turned them into footnotes because of their sizzling offense.

But on this night they couldn’t overcome one in a 6-4 loss to the Marlins at loanDepot park. 

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McNeil hit two homers and perhaps robbed the Marlins of one earlier on a leaping catch in right field that at minimum saved an extra-base hit.

It was a breakout performance for McNeil — who posted a dreadful .590 OPS in the first half — but any celebration would be muted. The Mets (49-47) lost their second straight. 

“I feel like I have been seeing the ball well for the last couple of weeks and hitting some balls hard that aren’t getting through, so it’s nice to have a little bit of success tonight,” McNeil said. 

Recently, McNeil said he’s changed his plate approach: instead of trying to “guide” the ball to a certain spot he wants to impact it. 

“I feel your swing gets messed up when you try to guide the ball,” McNeil said. “If you are trying to guide the ball out there it’s tough so lately I have been trying to hit the ball wherever it’s pitched and hit it hard.” 

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Manaea had a rare disappointing start, surrendering five earned runs on eight hits and one walk over five innings.

The left-hander had worked at least six innings in each of his previous three starts and the five runs allowed were his most since June 8. 

“It’s not how for the second half you want to start things,” Manaea said. 

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The Marlins used an infield single and grounder through the first-base hole in the second as part of a two-run inning against Manaea.

Otto Lopez started the rally with a double before Jesus Sanchez hit a slow grounder on which Mark Vientos didn’t have a play.

Xavier Edwards followed with an RBI single on a grounder to right and took second on McNeil’s throwing error. Emmanuel Rivera followed with a sacrifice fly that put the Mets in a 2-0 hole. 

In the first inning, McNeil had raced to the right-field fence and leaped to snag Bryan De La Cruz’s drive that may have otherwise left the yard.

At the very least it would have hit near the top of the fence. 

Jake Burger stroked an RBI double in the third that widened the gap to 3-0.

Jazz Chisholm singled leading off the inning and stole second before Burger delivered.

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Josh Bell’s ensuing RBI single gave the Marlins their fourth run. 

The Mets finally awoke in the fifth, when they knocked out starting pitcher Edward Cabrera.

McNeil homered leading off the inning — a shot that just cleared the center field fence — before Francisco Lindor and Brandon Nimmo drew successive walks with one out.

Cabrera’s errant pickoff attempt at second base moved Lindor to third before J.D. Martinez’s sacrifice fly pulled the Mets within 4-2. 

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But Burger regurgitation was at play in the bottom of the inning when the first baseman homered leading off the inning against Manaea. 

“It was one of those nights where [Manaea] didn’t have the swing-and-miss stuff,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “Even when he got ahead he left pitches over the plate or up in the zone. They made him work.” 

McNeil delivered again in the sixth, with a two-run homer against Andrew Nardi that sliced the Marlins’ lead to 5-4.

Jose Iglesias doubled against Anthony Bender before Nardi entered and McNeil cleared the right-field fence, giving him the second multi-homer game of his career. 

McNeil’s third hit, an infield single, helped fuel a rally in the eighth.

The Mets got runners to second and third with one out, but with the infield drawn in Iglesias, told to run on contact, was thrown out at the plate on Harrison Bader’s grounder to shortstop.

Tanner Scott then entered to retire Lindor. 

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Dedniel Nunez surrendered the game’s final run in the eighth on Nick Fortes’ RBI single. 

The Mets’ takeaway from the night is perhaps McNeil will be a factor following his sluggish first half. 

“He knows he’s a good hitter,” Mendoza said.